LONDON — Former Giro d’Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart will join Lidl-Trek from Ineos Grenadiers on a three-year deal starting next season, the American team announced.
The 28-year-old Briton, who won the Giro in 2020, is currently recovering from a hip injury sustained in this year’s race after a heavy crash on stage 11.
“After seven years within the same organisation there are many different emotions to approaching a new challenge in 2024,” Geoghegan Hart said.
“I’m really looking forward to this new chapter in my career come 2024. I’m incredibly motivated to get back to that feeling and place, and I believe that Lidl-Trek will be a brilliant place for me to do so.”
Geoghegan Hart also claimed overall victory in the Tour of the Alps in April.
“Tao Geoghegan Hart’s dedication and resilience epitomize the spirit of Lidl-Trek,” General Manager Luca Guercilena said.
“His journey serves as a testament to the power of determination, and we are excited to welcome him to our team.”
Geoghegan Hart said he was “looking forward to this new chapter”, and that he still has “plenty of growth as an athlete” to come.
“After seven years within the same organisation there are many different emotions to approaching a new challenge in 2024,” he said in the Lidl-Trek statement.
“However, knowing plenty of faces within the Lidl-Trek organisation already, and having had conversations with Luca [Guercilena], Josu [Larrazabal] and Elke [Weylandt] in the past weeks, I am really looking forward to this new chapter in my career come 2024.
“A new challenge is definitely exciting, to encounter different perspectives, athletes and cultures. That is one of my favourite things about cycling; the exploring and learning that we constantly encounter as athletes.
“With Lidl coming onboard as a new partner of the team, alongside Trek, who have owned the team for a long time now, it felt like a project I really wanted to be a part of at this moment in my career.”
“The team has big goals and partners who are willing and able to support those ambitions,” he continued.
“I believe I still have plenty of growth as an athlete and showed in 2023, up until the injury, what I can do as a leader. I’m incredibly motivated to get back to that feeling and place, and I believe that Lidl-Trek will be a brilliant place for me to do so.”
Luca Guercilena, Lidl-Trek’s general manager, said: “Tao Geoghegan Hart’s dedication and resilience epitomize the spirit of Lidl-Trek. His journey serves as a testament to the power of determination, and we are excited to welcome him to our team.
“As Tao embarks on this new adventure, we stand united in our commitment to pushing boundaries, achieving greatness, and creating a legacy of excellence.”
Geoghegan Hart is the second Giro stage winner to sign for Lidl-Trek this week, joining Jonathan Milan. Quinn Simmons, Daan Hoole, Edward Theuns, Alex Kirsch and Otto Vergaerde have all signed contract extensions too.
Discussion about this post